Showered with love!

Since Ansley isn't here still, I thought I would blog about the wonderful showers I was given this pregnancy.

I, honestly, didn't expect much with it being my second. Our Sunday School class normally does a luncheon for diapers and wipes so I anticipated that. As well, work girls normally have had showers for others. So that's 2 showers and was going to be great! However, I ended up having 4 showers total!
Both mine and Tyler's family gave me a shower! To say the least, I feel blessed and appreciate all that my friends and family have given me or I should say Ansley!

We had the Sunday School shower at Olive Garden towards the end of February. I didn't get a ton of pictures of the event but was glad I got some. Garyn was there and helped me open the presents. He got a present from Nana, too, a blue Wii remote. That Nana thinks of it all, she wanted to make sure he didn't feel left out!

I got lots of diapers, some clothes, and toiletry items. It was a great lunch with some great friends!

Then, towards the end of March, I had 2 showers in one week. Our living room looked like pepto and grapes for a few days until I got all the stuff put away!

The work shower was more than I expected, with lots of people and presents. My friend, Tara, set it all up so nice. Garyn was there again and when I went to hold my friend's new baby, we got a glimpse of how he might be with Ansley.....

 He was grinning from ear to ear and couldn't wait for me to sit down so he could hold her! I will definitely need to watch for him to be picking her up when we aren't looking!

                                                                    Stuffing our faces.....

Belly pic, 35 weeks and 3 days

 The two girls to the left, one in black and one in pink, are also pregnant. The one furthermost left in black is having an Ansley, too! She came to me before she had announced she was pregnant and just after I had announced we were using Ansley. She said it was her top girl name, and hoped it would be ok for her to use it if she got pregnant and had a girl! Of course, I said yes and had a hunch she was already pregnant! So her Ansley will be here around July 12th.

Love all my great work friends! The presents were wonderful with many clothes, diapers, some handmade items and even a car seat and stroller!

Later that weekend, we went down to Georgia for my family shower. My cousin Lindsey and her mom, my aunt, spent a lot of time on the details. With the help of other aunts and cousins, it was so cute and I felt blessed that they wanted to do this for me again (they had given me one for Garyn).
 

As all the others, I was overwhelmed with the generosity of my family. We got lots of clothes, diapers and toiletries. Garyn and I even got some baskets of treats!

Lastly, at the beginning of April, Tyler's family did a luncheon for me. I, unfortunately, took no photos! Oh, I was so aggravated at myself when I left, cause I had even brought my camera to take them. But we had a great lunch at Rafael's (sp?) in Soddy and I got several cute outfits and bedding items. I love Tyler's family as my own since I have known them since I was a teenager. I am grateful to feel just as much of the family as I possibly could. I know if I ever needed them, I could call them just as easily as my own family.

I can't wait to see Ansley in all the cute outfits she has gotten. I already feel she has more than Garyn had or even has now! Why is that? I think there are a lot more to choose from for girls. And its harder to interchange pieces with girls. The different patterns and pinks make it to where a certain top can only be worn with the matching pants or skirt. Of course, there are solids and eventually jeans that can go with different things. But for the boys, they have basic colors and patterns that are easy to put with many different outfits. I have already said I am going to have to keep matching outfits together for Tyler to dress her. Otherwise, he'll have her in a floral print that totally clashes with a stripe pant or something!

Well, everything is washed and put away in her nursery. Everyone is asking and anticipating to get a call. And just like a typical girl, Ansley is making us all wait! Thank you again to all my family and friends who may read this for showering us with love!

Cycle of Life

Its amazing how God created life! Even more, how life cycles. For some, sooner than for others.

Last weekend, we realized the baby birds had hatched. Although, they looked like small balls of fur rather than birds. We cautiously took a peak:

I know it is so hard to see them, but that gray area down in the sticks are them. I believe there were 5 eggs, but never wanted to get too close so unsure as to how many birds hatched.

We held Garyn up and let him see the birds. He really seemed to understand and was excited that they had hatched.

But for whatever reason, life was short for these little birds......I went by the door Tuesday morning and noticed the flowers were gone out of the tin pail. When I opened the door, it was evident something had deliberately destroyed the nest of birds.....

Be thankful you can't distinguish much on the mat because it was a little gruesome. I don't know if other birds did this or a cat or our cat . As you can tell, the door is set in from any ledges or the flower holders so I can't see how a cat could reach it to pull that long stem of fake flowers out and not knock the tin pail over. But it could be possible, I suppose. I just felt so sad that morning.

As stated earlier, life is a cycle of birth to death. The days in between are numbered for us all; God knows those numbers, not us. We must live the best we can for Him while we are here and be glad we have what days we have.

On another note, my egg has not hatched yet! Tyler told me this morning before church I looked like an Easter egg. Little Miss Ansley hasn't decided to make her appearance yet. Some days I am tired, achy and ready while others I am enjoying the time with Garyn and decently long sleep hours I am getting. I am still having lots of heartburn, achy-ness and just plain uncomfortable legs/hips at night, and it is harder to do somethings. Putting on my shoes and putting on Garyn's clothes and shoes are proving to be more of an exercise everyday. Garyn jumps and wiggles a lot right now with everything, not just putting on clothes. When we are walking, brushing his teeth, bathing him, at the dinner table.....and the list could go on, he is always moving. I am trying to not get too inpatient with him but when I am bending down or trying to hold his hand or trying to put him in the buggy, its hard not to want to scream sometimes! 

Easter Egg at 38 weeks and 5 days

I love him to pieces, though, and think each night what if today was our last day just me and him. Its hard not to think about how not only is my life or Tyler's life about to change, but our 3 year old's life is about to change, too. He is just beginning to understand this family and our routines. But I know he will love her and will bounce quickly into this new routine we will have. Please pray for us all as her delivery approaches and the transition begins!

Room change ups!

Well, I finally have everything to a satisfactory point in order to post pictures. We have had a lot of moving around going on it seems like. I was glad to get it done because I am beginning to get tired fast. Only 2 weeks until her due date!

First, we had taken the window out, if you remember, of the den/ playroom. Tyler and some baseball players put the french door in and then Tyler had to sheet rock around it.

(Tyler preparing to take out the window. I was soooo worried about it breaking!)

(It got out and to the truck without breaking...whew... then they started framing for the door)

(Door and sheet rock in, and painted!)

(Garyn in his playroom. We had to rearrange the room some.)

(Next we just have to figure out what to do with this fireplace. Suggestions welcome! We are thinking of painting, tiling, or even sheet rocking over some of the brick.....)

Well I am glad that all got done before she comes, it was stressing me to have unfinished walls and toys covered with sheets because of the dust. The lighting and view is different but the access to a deck and yard is going to make such a difference. We still need to do base board and the deck is not done, but isn't that the way it goes..? You get parts of it done at a time and then months later the rest will get done!

When we started on Ansley's room, it meant the things had to come out of her room including a twin bed that matched Garyn's bed. We had been given these beds before Garyn was even born and thought they made bunk beds but couldn't really remember. Well, Tyler finally figured it out. Garyn is loving the fact he has bunk beds. Although, we don't have the ladder and rail that it is supposed to go with it. Tyler is going to make one. Right now we are happy he can't get up there on his own. Although, we put his toddler rail there so that he could play up there when supervised and in case anyone does need to sleep up there.

I also had to move his room around a little since the rocking chair went to Ansley's room and that table came out of the playroom. So all 3 rooms had furniture switching from room to room!

Lastly, the nursery! The room had been used as a guest room (and junk room) and was already a lavendar color. My favorite color is purple so I was looking for bedding to match and didn't want to repaint the room.

Well, that was a lot harder than I thought! Or else I was just picky about the bedding. I didn't want anything to frilly, princessy, or expensive. I finally found something I liked on Target's website in the clearance section. Ordered it and it was back ordered.....then I was told it was not going to come...oh about a month ago. So I had to start from scratch just a month ago! Thankfully, I quickly found an alternative at a consignment sale. I admit it is not my absolute favorite, but I really like it and have started liking it more since getting it all pulled together.

(The bed was mine when I was a baby and the changing table I got at Goodwill. Both are freshly painted. And I painted her name on the wall.)

(The dresser came from a yard sale and was also painted white. I really struggled with the layout because the room quickly shrunk as we started putting things in.)

(The walls almost look white in these pictures, but they are a light purple)

This is the name sign I made for her. Can't wait to fill it in!

Well there is the room changes we have been busy on! Hope you like them!

April goals or more like to dos....

April is an exciting month for the Rich family.....Ansley will be here definitely this month. When- is the question!

Therefore I am doing this months goals a little different.......I am making a list of things I need to do prioritizing it by week.

Week # 1 (this week)

- finish hanging things in Ansley's room
-touch up paint in Ansley's room
-pack hospital bag
-get Garyn's Easter basket together and his school egg hunt basket
-possibly wash dogs before their appt next week
-buy lamp shade for Ansley's room
-set out Easter decorations (possibly)
-buy Garyn's Easter outfit
-go to eat with great Sunday School girls on Thursday
-have friends over for dinner
-get a manicure/pedicure (maybe not until the next)
-finish Thank You notes



Week # 2 (the 11th)

-clean floors and bathrooms again
-eat with some great friends
-take Garyn to the zoo
-put away maternity clothes I am not using (winter clothes)
-go to eat with great Sunday School girls on Thursday
-work on cleaning up desk
-clean refridgerator and microwave
-look at preschools some more
-wash sheets/comforters

Week # 3 ( the 18th)

-Enjoy the week, if Ansley isn't here yet!
-Play with Garyn outside and work on planter on porch
-keep house straightened and cleaned
-date night with my hubby

Tally of March Goals

March goals


Fun:

-Enjoy the month with life as I know it now, it is all about to change! No sleep, more responsibilities, more laundry.....but a new little life to love and hold, as well! Feel we have spent some quality time together

-Have one date night- We sort of did this, but Garyn was with us. We took him to see Rango and I felt good about spending time with him since he is about to be fighting for our attention I'm sure

-Do as many things outside with Garyn as weather permits!  We have been to a lot of baseball games where Garyn has played hard with other kiddos outside.



DIY/Craft:

-I have lots of painting to do for Ansley's room...finish baby bed, start changing table, and possibly paint a dresser The bed, dresser, and changing table are all painted and in the room...post of nursery to come

-Help Tyler with deck/french door project as much as possible the project is close to done on the inside, post to come

-Paint Ansley's name sign check!

-Paint Easter door hanger with Garyn that I bought last year on sale Its cute but can't hang on door because of the new residents we have! I have placed it on the door coming from the garage instead



Cooking:

-possibly do a small freezer cooking day- didn't do this but thats ok

-continue to cook/ eat at home all but what we budget for- we have done pretty good at this



Cleaning:

-try to keep cleaning habits up so that I feel the house is basically clean

-finish cleaning out anything that will not stay in Ansley's room

-wash new clothes and bassinet bedding for Ansley had 3 showers this month (smaller ones, but still 3 showers) so I have been washing and going through lots of girly things!



Teaching/Learning:

-keep working with Garyn on writing his name He can write it almost without any help! He just needs some prompting on the G and y

-work on counting to 30 without any glitches- pretty much there, I can stop him if he messes up and he can correct himself without me telling him what he said wrong

-keep looking at preschools did this some...still need to make a descision
 


Budgeting:

-tally up Jan. and Feb. expenses for next years tax deductions- balanced check book but didn't do excel sheet

-stay on top of budget and weekly cash flow

-start saving for beach trip half way started...not as well as I would have liked



Prayer/Devotion:

-Continue morning quiet time- have done it most of the week, I have just had a harder time sleeping so I sometimes hit snooze....wish I could say that is a good excuse but it still isn't

-Keep prioritizing devotion/Bible reading- I have done ok, once again, feel it has been hard to focus on anything but preparing for Ansley especially towards the end of the month



Other:

-wash and take dogs yearly shots!- appt has been made! going next week

-take JBF sale items

-wash and list cups for eBay and anything else I may find  didn't sell but they are listed again
 
feel it was a productive month! April is here already and may be a different story!